


Don't Eat the Crayons

by Candles for Stars (Freekish)



Category: Dreamer Trilogy - Maggie Stiefvater, Raven Cycle - Maggie Stiefvater
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Babysitting, Established Relationship, Ficlet, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:56:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 693
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27678410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freekish/pseuds/Candles%20for%20Stars
Summary: The neighbor asks Ronan to babysit on short notice.
Relationships: Ronan Lynch/Adam Parrish
Comments: 10
Kudos: 70





	Don't Eat the Crayons

**Author's Note:**

> I originally posted this on tumblr, now I'm posting it here (with only slight editing).  
> A tiny ficlet for a half baked idea.

There’s a knock at the door. Ronan, the only one home, goes to answer, not bothering to check the peephole or softening his hard expression. Behind the door is a woman wearing what looks to be a diner dress and a heavy winter coat hanging from one shoulder. The woman’s eyes widen briefly and her hands tighten slightly on the shoulders of the small young girl in front of her. 

“Oh, um, is Adam…here?”

Ronan looks from the woman to the young girl and back. “No. He’ll be home in about an hour though.”

The woman’s expression falls and looks frantically at her wristwatch. 

“I hate to ask this of you but would you mind watching her for a while. I got called into work to cover a shift and it was too short notice for the usual babysitter and the old woman—“ she points to the door down the hall— “is showing signs of dementia. It will only be for a couple hours. Five tops.” 

Ronan’s eyes fall to the young girl who’s been staring at him since he opened the door. She appears indifferent towards him. He bends at the knees to crouch to her height.

“What do you say kid? Wanna hang out with me for a bit?” He offers her a fist and waits.

The indifferent mask slips and a devious smirk appears in its place. She touches her fist to Ronan’s (a move Ronan taught her one night when she escaped down to the laundry room in the basement. Adam walked her back to her apartment while Ronan carried the laundry back to theirs). 

Ronan stands back to his full height and catches the surprised look on the woman’s face. He steps a little to the side.

“Come on in, Squirt.”

The woman breathes a sigh of relief. “Thank you, thank—Oh gosh! I’m Sandra by the way.”

She pronounces it like _San_ -dra, not _Sawn_ -dra. She holds out her hand. There is a brief handshake.

“Ronan.”

“Um, here’s my cell number and the number for the diner in case of emergencies. I was told I was only needed until seven so I should be back before eight. Thank you so much, again.”

“No problem.”

“Good-bye Sweetheart!” Sandra calls out. She slips her arm into the other sleeve of her jacket and starts to walk away. 

Ronan reaches to shut the door when he remembers, “Hey, wait!”

Sandra looks back, a little panic in her eyes. 

“Any allergies?” Ronan asks.

“N-no.” 

Ronan nods and shuts the door. Sandra walks away with a relieved smile.

-

Adam arrives home and finds Ronan and the little girl sitting at their small dining table with scattered pieces of paper and a box of crayons spilt between them.

He approaches slowly. 

“What’s going on here?”

“What’s it look like, Parrish? We’re coloring.”

Adam flicks Ronan’s ear. “I can see that. Why are you coloring?”

Ronan shrugs, “There was nothing on TV.”

Adam sighs with familiar exasperation and quickly rights his face into a friendly smile. “Hi Opal.”

Opal doesn’t look up from her rainbow scribbles. “Hi Adam.”

There’s a tug on the back of Ronan’s collar. “Ronan, can you help me in the kitchen for a sec?” 

Ronan stands to follow Adam and points at Opal, “No eating the crayons.”

Opal scrunches up her face and sticks her tongue out at him.

When he walks into the kitchen Adam turns to him a little frantic.

“Why is the neighbor kid coloring at our dining table?”

“Cause I didn’t think you’d appreciate crayon on the walls.”

Adam narrows his eyes. Ronan reaches for him, pulls lightly on the hem of his jacket he left on.

“Relax. Sandra dropped her off. She got called into work and needed a babysitter and came here looking for you. What was I suppose to do? Tell her to fuck off?” 

Adam shushes him and looks into the dining area to make sure Opal didn’t hear him. 

“You could have given me a little warning.”

Ronan tries to appear innocent. “But I know how much you love surprises.” 

Adam shoves him away. “Go back to your coloring.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's been many years since I've posted a fic. Feels good to be sharing again, even if it's small :)


End file.
